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Thursday, November 7, 2013

One Nation Under God, Divisible, With Liberty: Injustice For All

A dear friend of mine and educator was sexually harassed and called a faggot on the college campus where she works today. When she reported the incident the university decided to side with the harasser. I know we are not supposed to fight hatred with hatred but I am furious for my friend. This isn't the first amendment being exercised here, this is hate speech. If you know this friend of mine you are proud to know her. She's the kind of person who always stands up for what is right, even if that means getting arrested while peacefully protesting her beliefs. She is a hero, she will change history, and today this brave woman was called a faggot as she walked from her office to the library. I hope it lights a spark in her so fierce that she becomes the next Rosa Parks of the LGBT rights movement.

My brother posted a Facebook status recently about how glad he was that since Illinois had passed gay marriage he could now put Chicago on his list of places to move one day. I almost commented to my brother in a go-gettum tone that Hey, little brother, equality is on the rise and you'll be able to move anywhere you'd like soon! but I didn't. Making that promise almost felt like jinxing a baseball team by saying they will win before the game is over and I didn't want to put such an important ideal--equality--at risk.

In a few days my sister and her beautiful wife will be the proud parents to two tiny babies. Twins! And even though these two sweet little hearts will be born into a world where their mommies still have to live in a certain state to be considered legally married, I am hoping that in a few years same-sex couples will have the same rights as everyone else.

And I can't help but to believe that one day we can live in a country that embraces love and a world where hate speech is not tolerated, where bullying is no longer the norm. I have faith that one day my friends and family members will no longer be harassed for being true to themselves.